Leopard Indigo Dress




A roaring success - that's what my Tilly and the Buttons Indigo Dress is. Before I delve into the pattern details, can we take a minute to admire the fabric? 

Any animal print lover will agree that finding the 'right' colour and scale print is the holy grail of sewing. This leopard print viscose from Like Sew Amazing (currently sold out, but Sarah has a lovely selection of prints) has body, a bit of stretch, barely creases, and is quite literally perfect.

Right, back to the pattern. Due to the loose fit, I sized down and cut a straight 4, which was a bold move that thankfully paid off. My fit changes were minimal, but made all the difference. 

I added 2cm to the bodice length to accommodate my bust and because I don't really suit an empire waistline. For a 'mini' look, I took 7cm off the skirt length before hemming. To avoid gaping (a common problem for me), I took 2cm wedges out of the front and back necklines. This almost backfired as I can just about squeeze my head through, but there's no gaping sight!




I couldn't resist the exposed frill seam on the sleeves, which is such a pretty detail. However, I was hesitant to add bulk to the waistline, so settled for a classic gathered seam there instead. Maybe next time I'll be braver.



Inspired by fellow stitchers, I added waist ties for a little extra shaping, a feature I've incorporated into all three of my Myosotis dresses too. My finished ties measure approximately 75cm long by 1cm wide. To avoid having another viscose dress I'm terrified of hanging up, I used stay tape to stabilise the shoulder seams, which worked a treat.


I really, really love how this make turned out. A lot of it has to do with the fabric, but I'm also surprised by how much I like the shape too. Just like the Myosotis dress, Indigo has proven to me that going out of your comfort zone can totally pay off.

2 comments:

  1. Loving your dress, it's fierce!!!!

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  2. Love your version. Thanks for sharing your changes. Hoping to make myself one of these shortly

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